Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Alabama State Butterfly & Mascot

Official State Butterfly & Mascot of Alabama

The lovely eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucas) was designated the state butterfly and mascot of Alabama in 1989 at the request of Selma, Alabama's City Council (Selma is called "The Butterfly Capital of Alabama" and Selma's mascot is the tiger swallowtail butterfly). Alabama recognizes another butterfly as the official state insect of Alabama (monarch butterfly), and also adopted an official agricultural insect (queen honeybee). All State Insects

The beautiful eastern tiger swallowtail is one of the most common and widely distributed swallowtail butterflies, found throughout eastern USA and Canada. The male tiger swallowtail is always the familiar bright yellow with black striped markings. However, some females are dramatically camouflaged - they are dark brown to black, mimicking the poisonous pipevine swallowtail butterfly (which predators know to avoid because it tastes foul and can make them extremely ill).